Census 2011 happens in March this year. The activities on this page will help you to investigate how the Census works.
Activity 1:
General history
Pre-New Zealand censuses
3800 BC
The earliest recorded census was taken in the Babylonian Empire.
2000 BC–300 BC
Censuses in China, Persia, Greece, Egypt, and India were used for tax collecting purposes or for raising armies.
600 BC–72 AD
The Romans relied on census-taking to raise money, raise armies and stay informed about their empire. Their most famous census was at the time of the birth of Jesus.
1086–1087
William the Conqueror ordered a census in Britain. You can read the results in the Domesday Book (www.domesdaybook.co.uk).
1449–1450
The city of Nuremberg, Germany was under siege. They counted up everybody in the city to calculate the total amount of food available.
1577–1578
Philip II of Spain ordered the first census in America in what is now Mexico.
1655–1656
The first regular five-yearly counts of the population were in Quebec, Canada.
1828–1829
The first regular census was taken in Australia. Before this, irregular official counts of the population were taken, starting in 1788.
The New Zealand census
1840–1855
The Blue Books were New Zealand’s first official statistics on population. They were handwritten and based on the magistrates counting people in each settlement. The original 1851 Blue Book is held at the National Archives in Wellington.
1842–1846
The Auckland Police Census Book provides a complete record of the town.
1845, 1849
Censuses were held in Nelson.
1851
The first general census of all European settlers.
1857–1858
The first Māori general census. Māori censuses were resumed in 1874 after the Land Wars. In 1951, Māori were included in the general census and separate censuses of Māori stopped.
From 1881
Five-yearly censuses have continued to the present day, except for 1931 (because of the Depression) and the 1941 Census, abandoned because of the war. The 1946 Census was moved to September 1945. Sunday used to be census day because people spent Sundays at home, but this was changed to Tuesday in 1926.
2001
The thirty-first census, 150 years since the first census in New Zealand. It was held again in early March, which is clear of holiday seasons and of most seasonal work. Censuses need to be held at the same time of year so the results can be compared more closely.
2006
New Zealanders had the choice of completing census forms over the Internet. This applied to both the individual and dwelling forms, in English, Māori, or combination of Māori and English).
2011
The census will be held on Tuesday, 8 March 2011.
Questions
1. Why do you think the first records were written by hand? 2. When and why do you think census day was changed from a Sunday? 3. Throughout history people have recorded important information about their community, their city, and their country in different ways. Several ways are listed above in ‘Pre-New Zealand censuses’. Choose one to investigate. You may work by yourself or in a small group.
The article below mentions several key dates in the history of census taking in New Zealand. Find them and mark them on a timeline. Write the date and the event.
5. Using your library or the Internet, find five more important dates from New Zealand history to add to your timeline. Write the date and the event.
Census in New Zealand – a brief history The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. The first census in New Zealand was carried out in 1851. In that year there were two provinces, New Ulster (the Auckland area) and New Munster (the rest of New Zealand). For the next census, in 1854, there were six provinces. Each province had its own government and carried out its own census, at different times. It is difficult to get accurate information about the whole country from those censuses.
In 1877 provincial governments were abolished and one parliament, in Wellington, governed the whole country. This led to the first five-yearly census of the whole country in 1881. There were two occasions when no census was held. In 1931 the census was abandoned because the country was going through the Depression More about the Great Depressionand the government had reduced its number of public servants. In 1941 when so many people in New Zealand were involved in World War II, the census was postponed until the end of the war. The 1946 Census was moved to September 1945.
It was not until 1951 that Māori were given the same census questionnaire as the rest of the population. Then in 1996 the option of completing the form in Māori or English was introduced. Since 2006, New Zealanders have had the option of completing census forms over the Internet (both the individual and dwelling forms, in English, Māori, or a combination of Māori and English).
The 2011 Census will be held on Tuesday, 8 March 2011.
Copyright Statistics New Zelanad, Schools Corner
In class we have had a brief look at the history of the census. If you would like to know more have a click on the following link:
The census provides the facts for the country to base its planning for the future on. It collects information about everyone in New Zealand.. As it is held every five years, changes can be measured and trends predicted. The census provides information about particular areas and particular groups as well as information about the country as a whole
Central government
Uses census data to guide social and economic programmes in: · education · health · employment · welfare · housing.
Local government
Uses census data to guide social and economic programmes in · transport · housing · recreation.
Community groups
Use census data to: · organise public schemes · make a case for resources · monitor schemes.
Business groups
Use census data to: · select new sites · market new products · develop sales strategies · match consumer needs to products.
Copyright Statistics New Zelanad, Schools Corner
Activity 3:
Your community is growing and more young families are moving in. Are there enough schools to look after the extra children, or should the Ministry of Education look at building more? This kind of decision is made every day, using census data. Decisions could be made by guessing; sometimes they might get it right, but not very often! A lot of money can be lost on a guess! People need facts to make well-reasoned decisions. More and more often, the facts that they use come from census information.
1. Imagine that you are advisors to the local council in a community where 75 percent of the families have children younger than six years-of-age. What do you think would be the special concerns of these community members?
Copyright Statistics New Zelanad, Schools Corner
Click on the following link to add your sticky note to our brainstorm: Our brainstorm
Activity 4.
Using collected information
List a job or occupation for each letter on the chart below. Explain how the people in these jobs might use statistics. Jobs have been filled in for ‘S’ and ‘T’.
Activity 1:
General history
Questions
1. Why do you think the first records were written by hand?2. When and why do you think census day was changed from a Sunday?
3. Throughout history people have recorded important information about their community, their city, and their country in different ways. Several ways are listed above in ‘Pre-New Zealand censuses’. Choose one to investigate. You may work by yourself or in a small group.
- The article below mentions several key dates in the history of census taking in New Zealand. Find them and mark them on a timeline. Write the date and the event.
5. Using your library or the Internet, find five more important dates from New Zealand history to add to your timeline. Write the date and the event.Census in New Zealand – a brief history
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. The first census in New Zealand was carried out in 1851. In that year there were two provinces, New Ulster (the Auckland area) and New Munster (the rest of New Zealand). For the next census, in 1854, there were six provinces. Each province had its own government and carried out its own census, at different times. It is difficult to get accurate information about the whole country from those censuses.
In 1877 provincial governments were abolished and one parliament, in Wellington, governed the whole country. This led to the first five-yearly census of the whole country in 1881. There were two occasions when no census was held. In 1931 the census was abandoned because the country was going through the Depression More about the Great Depressionand the government had reduced its number of public servants. In 1941 when so many people in New Zealand were involved in World War II, the census was postponed until the end of the war. The 1946 Census was moved to September 1945.
It was not until 1951 that Māori were given the same census questionnaire as the rest of the population. Then in 1996 the option of completing the form in Māori or English was introduced. Since 2006, New Zealanders have had the option of completing census forms over the Internet (both the individual and dwelling forms, in English, Māori, or a combination of Māori and English).
The 2011 Census will be held on Tuesday, 8 March 2011.
Copyright Statistics New Zelanad, Schools Corner
In class we have had a brief look at the history of the census. If you would like to know more have a click on the following link:
History of the Census in New Zealand
Activity 2:
Why have a census?
The census provides the facts for the country to base its planning for the future on. It collects information about everyone in New Zealand.. As it is held every five years, changes can be measured and trends predicted. The census provides information about particular areas and particular groups as well as information about the country as a whole· education
· health
· employment
· welfare
· housing.
· transport
· housing
· recreation.
· organise public schemes
· make a case for resources
· monitor schemes.
· select new sites
· market new products
· develop sales strategies
· match consumer needs to products.
Activity 3:
Your community is growing and more young families are moving in. Are there enough schools to look after the extra children, or should the Ministry of Education look at building more? This kind of decision is made every day, using census data. Decisions could be made by guessing; sometimes they might get it right, but not very often! A lot of money can be lost on a guess! People need facts to make well-reasoned decisions. More and more often, the facts that they use come from census information.
1. Imagine that you are advisors to the local council in a community where 75 percent of the families have children younger than six years-of-age. What do you think would be the special concerns of these community members?Copyright Statistics New Zelanad, Schools Corner
Click on the following link to add your sticky note to our brainstorm:
Our brainstorm
Activity 4.
Using collected information
List a job or occupation for each letter on the chart below. Explain how the people in these jobs might use statistics. Jobs have been filled in for ‘S’ and ‘T’.Use this GoogleDoc to fill in the form
To help you find jobs there is a list at the below website:
A to Z of jobs
Extra for the interested:
View data about NZ students here